Peine forte et dure (Law French for "hard and forceful punishment") was a method of torture formerly used in the common law legal system, in which a defendant who refused to plead ("stood mute") would be subjected to having heavier and heavier stones placed upon their chest until a plea was entered, or death resulted. Many defendants charged with capital offences would refuse to plead in order to avoid forfeiture of property.
Peine forte et dure (Law French for "hard and forceful punishment") was a method of torture formerly used in the common law legal system, in which a defendant who refused to plead ("stood mute") would be subjected to having heavier and heavier stones placed upon their chest until a plea was entered, or death resulted. Many defendants charged with capital offences would refuse to plead in order to avoid forfeiture of property.
Source: Wikipedia "Peine forte et dure" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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